Coin-actuated time-controlled mechanism for controlling the use of telescopes and like instruments



May 4 1926. 1,583,143

- S. A. HANSEN coIN AGTUA'I'ED TIIIE CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE USE OF TBLESCOPES AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS Filed August '3, 1925 I VENTO Patented May 4, 1926.

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svmm A. HAN'sENQoF siinnwoon, catrnonnin.

ooIn-AoTUATnD TIME-CQNTROLLED MECHANISM non CONTROLLING THE use on irntns'oorns AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS.

Application fi1ed August. 3, 1225. Serial No. 47,958.

.To all whmm'tmay concern: v i Be it known that 'I, 'SVEN'D A. HANsnN, a citizen ofthe UnitedSt'atearesiding at Inspiration Point, Glenwood, in the county of Santa Cruz and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Actuated Time-Controlled lvlechanism for Controlling the Use of Telescopes and like lnstruments, of which the 3 following is a specification.

'llhis 'invention relatesv to an apparatus for use in connection with optical instruments, such astelescopes and binoculars,. whereby the time of use of'the instruments may be readily controlled and its useonly permitted'on the depositing of an operating coin or token;

The invention has for its principalob jec-t-s to provide, preferably within the tubular portion of the binocular or telescope,'of light controlling means, manually opened, on the depositing of a controlling coin or token and with which is associated time controlled mechanism for admitting of the au- 2 t'omatic closure of the light controlling mechanism aftertheexpiration of a" predetermined period. A'further object is to provide/aplunger actuated mechanism in.

which the depositing 'of the controlling coin 30 or token serves as an operating abutment for the plunger during its movement to open the light controlling mechanism.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, theinvention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying" drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form proportiomsiz'e and minor details of construction within the scope of the claimsrmay be resorted to without departing l'from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. i

In the drawings Fig. 1' is a transverse sectional view through the tubular barrel ofa' telescop'e,- illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention in use therewith. x

2 is a transverse sectional view through the housingcontaining the light controlling operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the broken line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designates corresponding parts,

lindicates the tube of a telesoopeytheopti cal members of which are not illustrated, and within said tubeis positioned a circular support 2 (Fig; 3) which carries shutter unembers -3 hinged thereto as at l. At the base of the shutter members is rotatably mounted a pinion shaft 5 extending through the tube 1, the shaft carrying at its upper end a cross head 6 within the ends of which are pivotally connected links '7, the latter being in turn pivotally connected to the respcctive levers. 8, {one associated with each hinge 4L of the respective shutters 3. At its lowerend the shaft'5 carries a laterally disposed arm '9 with which is connected an opera-ting rod 10 mounted to reciprocate within aborellin a protecting housing 12; at-

jtached in any suitable manner to the tube 1.

It will be observed that angendwise movement 'of the operating rod will cause a simultaneous opening and closing movement of the shutters 3, dependent on the direction of movement of the rod 10. I i i Coiled about the shafte and secured at one end, as at 13, to the part 2 and at its opposite end to the arm 9, is a spring 14, the action'of which is to normally maintain the shutters ,3 in closed position; as in the drawings. I V

Tothe end of the protecting housing 12 is secured a box or shell 15 into which e tends the rod '10, the same sliding in a guide member 16 depending from'the underside of the top wall of the box. I l

Carried by one side-wall of -the box 15 is a lever bracket 17 in the end of which is pivotallyinounted on-a fulcrum pin 18 a bifursated plate 19, the upper surface of which carries a substantially ijeshaped flange QO, open at its upper end as at 21, to register with" a coin. or token reception opening 22 in the outer side wall of the be 15, Fig.1.

li lounted to reciprocate in a tubular guide 23 in the top wall of the box is a plunger 24, the lower end of which is in alignment with the space 25 between the frucations of the plate '19 andthe normal depression of the plunger will admit of its lower 'end passing through the space 25, A spring 26' normally maintains the plunger 2% elevated, and said plunger carries a plate restoring hook 27 extending beneath the edge of the plate 19.

At one end the pinion 18 carries a lever 28 to which is connected a coiled spring 29, designed to maintain the plate either in full or dotted line position, as in Fig. 1, dependent on whether the plunger 2a is in elevated or depressed position when a coin is present in lever 19.

At its opposite end. the pinion 18 carries an operating rod setting finger 3O adapter on the depression of the plate 19 to engage with a in 31 on the rod lO'and cause an outward, movement or the rod, which will cause an opening of the shutters 3.

A rod retaining pawl 32 pivoted to the member 16 is adapted on the rearward movement of rod to receive in its notch 33 a pin 34 carried by the rod 10, and the action of a sprlng 35 in forcing said pawl upwardly, causes an interlocking of the pin 34: with in the notch 33 and retains said shutters in I operating in a slot in the arm 40, and depending from the pawl 32 is a trip member 46 extending through an aperture 47 in the arm 41., the trip member carrying a head t? at its lower end.

On the insertion of a coin or token within the opening 22, the same closes the opening 25 in plate 19. A downward depression of plunger Z l causes its lower end to rest on the coin or token and a depression of the plate 19 is accomplished. During this move- "ment, the arm 43 and pin at are raised, causing a raising of the lever 39 and a consequent elevation of pawl 38 in the teeth of the ratchet 37. This downward movement of the plate also causes an outward reciprocation of the rod 10 and the interlocking of the pin 34 in the recess or notch 33 opening the shutters 3.

0n the release of pressure from plunger 2%, the spring :26 elevates the plunger and in doing so the hook 527 elevates the plate 19 from which the coin or token has slipped and deposited in the box. Thi movement releases the holding pressure of pin id in the upper end of slot 45 and admits of the operation of the time controlled, mechanism 36,

he lever 39 of which on arriving at its lowermost position causes Contact between the underside of arm 4L]. and head 4'7, withdrawing pawl 32 from engagement with pin 34 and admitting of spring 14L to close the shutters 3.

It will be understood that the operation of the time controlled mechanism when one set may be varied by adjusting the head 4:7, on member 46.

1. In combination with an optical instrument for use in view distant objects and including a tube, a shutter mechanism therein "for controllinglight passing therethrough, an operating plunger, a plunger actuated lever, an element associated with the shutter mechanism and acted on by the lever to cause an opening of the shutter mechanism, a pawl for holding the shutter mechanism open, time controlled means for releasing the pawl, and means for closing the shutter mechanism on the release of the pawl, said plunger and plunger actuated lever rendered cooperative on the positioning of a token between the same.

2. In combination with an optical instrument for use in viewing distant objects and including a tube, shutter mechanism within the tube 101' controlling light passing there through, shutter operating means extending exteriorly ot' the tube, a plunger, a plunger actuated lever, an operative connection be tween the plunger actuated'lever and shutter operating means, means for retaining said shutter operating means in shutter opening position, and time controlled means for rcleasing said shutter operating means, said plunger and plunger actuated lever rendered cooperative on the positioning of a token between the same.

3. In combination with an optical instrument for use in viewing distant objects and including a tube, a shutter mechanism there- 111 for controlling light passing therethrough, an operating plunger, a plunger actuated lever, an element associated with the shutter mechanism and acted on by the lever to cause an opening of the shutter mechanism, a pawl for holding the shutter mechanism open, time controlled means movable into set position on the opening of the shutter mechanism, for releasing the pawl, and, means for closing the shutter mechanism on the release of the pawl, said plunger and plunger actuated lever rendered cooperative on the positioning of a token between the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

svnun A. HANSEN. i 

